Bonding Time
by roselezz
Summary: After Henry's death in Neverland, Emma lets the darkness fall over her while Regina simply gives up. Suddenly the former evil queen is the only light in the savior's life, and Emma does everything to keep her in the place, right below her.
1. Chapter 1

**Trigger warning: Character Death**

**A/N: There is a little bit of Robin Hood, but it really is just a one sentence or so. Sub!Regina, dom!Emma (dark!Emma), and lots of smut. Eventual romance.**

* * *

**Chapter one**

During their way back to Storybrooke they throw all the Lost Boys into the sea, including Peter Pan. They were all dead. Emma was unstoppable when she was killing them. No one dared to say anything, afraid of their own lives. Rumplestiltskin tried to stop her, but her magic was too strong and he ended up lying on the ground unconscious for almost an hour. Regina wanted to stop her too, but when Emma started yelling at the boys who kept telling her how weak Henry was, she only watched Emma killing them.

Snow and Charming are terrified of their daughter's behavior and are about to follow her to the cabin, but Regina stands in their way, telling them to go away. After all, she lost her son, too.

Emma is sitting on the bed with her eyes closed when Regina walks in. The tears appear again and she goes to sit down next to Emma placing her hand on Emma's knee. Everything is different now and Regina _needs _someone. It has been a week since Henry's death. They stayed on the island, however, because neither Emma nor Regina was able to move or speak. They sit on the ground looking at nothing particular, their hands were interlaced as if it was the only thing to keep them from falling apart. And man, how they cried. Their sobs echoed over the whole island, breaking Emma's parents' heart. Hook and Neal stood aside; Neal cried a bit, but it could never compare to Emma and Regina's sorrow.

"You can cry," Regina softly whispers, wiping her tears with the other hand. She has wanted to destroy everything as well, but something within her stops her every time. It is Henry's voice. Henry's childish voice telling her no – telling her that he wouldn't want that, he would want her to adjust and live.

Emma's eyes open and she looks at Regina, but she is not crying as Regina has expected. Her eyes are dry and there is no light in them. There is darkness. Regina knows that look far too well.

Emma suddenly lashes out and presses her lips against Regina's. The brunette doesn't fight it and even deepens the kiss. When she tries to pull away, Emma grabs her hands and holds her close very firmly.

Regina moves her head aside, finally setting her lips free. "Emma, no. This isn't right."

The blonde's features harden and she pushes the brunette on the mattress, pinning her hands above her head, sitting on her lap as she straddles it. "I am done with doing everything right. I used to do that, but it cost me my son, so now… Now I don't give a fuck about right and wrong. I'll do things as I please." Emma's voice is husky and no matter the circumstances it settles lust in the pit of Regina's stomach.

Regina lifts her hips trying to get some friction and Emma smiles darkly letting Regina's hands go so her own hands can run over the queen's body. The brunette waves her hand to lock and soundproof the room and then she holds onto Emma flipping them over.

She is not on the top for a long time, however, because Emma immediately pins her hands down again switching them back. "Nuh-uh. I am in the charge here."

And this time it's fear that shakes through the brunette's body as she realizes that the blonde is certainly more powerful than her and her behavior is more violent these days, but her worries are once again taken away by desire when Emma starts unzipping Regina's trousers, making her way to the already dripping folds of Regina's sex.

* * *

It has been barely a few days since they came back, but many things have happened.

The whole town came at Henry's funeral – everyone cried. Everyone, except for Emma and Regina, who had blank faces, and as soon as Henry's coffin was under the ground, they grabbed one another's hands and disappeared in a purple smoke.

They have spent nights and days in bed – Emma always on top, always commanding, but somehow Regina has found out that she doesn't mind at all. Because the thing they've been doing has been the only way to know they are still able to feel _something. _

During their absence, Robin Hood and his son fell into a portal in the Enchanted Forest and appeared in Storybrooke. Tinker Bell – maybe not purposefully – said in front of everyone in the diner that the man had a lion tattoo, therefore was Regina's soulmate. It has spread quite quickly, but neither of them has spoken to one another.

Emma has also been hard to communicate with. No one has directly spoken to her, anyway, since the incident at Granny's…

_Mary Margaret meets Emma at the diner, needing to discuss something very important with her. Talking about her sudden change wouldn't do any good; that is for sure, so Snow doesn't even try. Emma's different temperament wouldn't react well to any of the things Snow wanted to say. _

_Emma sits down across from her. "What do you need?"_

"_I simply wanted to talk to you. Why do you assume I need something?" Snow feels insulted by Emma's words. Her daughter is not who she was once. This Emma is harsh, impulsive, more secretive and selfish._

_Emma sighs, obviously annoyed. "Then what do you want to talk about?"_

_Mary Margaret clears her throat. "I found something… in your pocket – "_

"_Why were you looking in my things?" Emma immediately snaps._

"_I wasn't. I merely wanted to wash your jeans and had to clear the pockets out," Snow says carefully and starts pulling something out of her purse. She hides it in her fist and quickly gives it to Emma across the table. Her daughter takes it from her and displays it on the desk which is exactly what Snow didn't want. There, next to their cups, lay black panties. "I know you don't wear lace, Emma. These aren't yours, and – " _

_Snow expects many things – mainly Emma denying everything and trying to cover herself and her secret lover up. But Emma is everything but secretive at the moment. "No, they're Regina's."_

"What_? I thought they were Tink's or… or Ruby's… You've been… all this time? Since…" Suddenly she puts one and one together, placing her thumb and index finger on the bridge of her nose. "It was when we couldn't get into your cabin on Jolly Roger, wasn't it? We thought you two just wanted to mourn, but this…"_

_Emma can't look more indifferently. She simply waits for Mary Margaret to finish her rambling and when she feels she's heard enough, she stands up. "If that's all you want, I will go now." She turns around, ready to leave. _

_Snow should be happy she hasn't managed to upset Emma, but the news has shocked her so much that she cannot help it. She murmurs quietly, but loudly enough for Emma to hear her, "It won't ease your sorrow caused by Henry's death if you spread your legs to Regina."_

_And Emma can't see, her vision is blurred as she turns back, fast as ever, catches her mother's throat, lifts her up and throws her against the wall next to the door to the toilet, two meters from where they were sitting. _

_Mary Margaret manages a quick inhale, but Emma is there again, her face very close, and she is choking her – hard enough to torture her, not enough to make her pass out. _

_The whole diner is silent. No one dares to move, no one dares to stand up to the supposed Savior. _

"_You know nothing," Emma grits through her teeth. "So shut – the fuck – up."_

_A lonely tears falls from Snow's eyes, but it does nothing to Emma. She releases her and watches her falling on her knees, coughing. And then she leaves without looking back. _


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks, everyone, for the possitive feedback. :) Here's the second chapter. I know this is not exactly what the summary was about, but we'll get there, I promise. ;)**

**All mistakes are mine as english is not my first language.**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

"I've heard about your… moment with Snow today," Regina says quietly, groaning afterwards as Emma presses on her sore muscles too hard. "It was four days ago. I am surprised it hasn't spread more quickly."

Emma doesn't respond, she simply continues to massage her lover. Regina lies on her stomach on the massive bed in her bedroom and Emma sits on her. The brunette lets out a soft moan here and now every time the blonde's wetness brushes against her buttocks or a muffled groan when the woman gets to the strain parts of her back.

Regina sighs. Her wishes about open conversations with the woman obviously haven't been granted. Regina spent whole morning in Henry's bedroom, crying for her son who will never come back. When she was done, all she wanted to do was to seek comfort with her son's biological mother. So she did. She went to pick some food and was ready to start looking for Emma, but she heard Ruby's conversation with Ella and couldn't help the eavesdropping. Then, of course, her plans were gone and she knew there was no chance Emma would openly talk to her about Henry.

"She won't let it be," Regina mutters. "She will try to – ah!"

The unexpected feel of the blonde's hand between her legs catches her unprepared and she immediately forgets everything she was about to say.

Emma rubs her breasts against Regina's back as she pushes one finger in the brunette's core, spreading her thighs with one knee. Regina's toes curl up and her fingers clutch at the sheets. Sneaking her hand under the former queen, Emma lifts the slender hips to get better access.

"Emma," Regina whispers as she feels the blonde adding another finger. Her thrusts are hard and fast, her fingers always curl when she is deeply inside. Emma runs her left hand over the brunette's toned stomach to her breasts, catching one nipple between her fingers, twisting it and pinching to get some reaction.

When Regina's walls begin to tighten around Emma's fingers and the brunette comes undone, Emma bits hard at her shoulder, drawing a loud moan out of her.

Pain and pleasure – that's what they do. That's the only thing they do.

* * *

Regina was right; Snow wasn't going to just let it be.

"We need to do something, Charming!" Snow says, obviously upset, and doesn't even bother to lower her volume as there are only two or three people in the diner at this time in the morning.

Her husband shakes his head. "I don't think we should. This is hard – for both of them. Maybe it's a good thing they spend time together, helping each other out of it."

Snow stares at him unbelievably. "Helping? Regina is going to destroy her!"

David sighs, exhausted. His wife's stubbornness is what their daughter inherited the most – there is no chance Emma would be able to convinced one she's decided to be with Regina. "I wouldn't go that far. Regina didn't make her to kill the boys, she didn't make her to knock off Rumplestiltskin, neither she was here when Emma attacked you."

"It's obvious!" Snow exclaims. "She uses magic!"

The door flies open and Snow immediately shuts her mouth as she sees her daughter and her former – or maybe still present – enemy walking into the diner. Snow straightens her back.

"Promise me you won't do any scene," David begs her quietly.

Snow doesn't reply, however, as she and a few other people in the diner stares at Emma's hand that is placed on Regina's lower back. Mary Margaret actually waits for them to order their meals, and then she stands up, David instantly behind her.

"Can we talk?" Snow's voice makes them both to turn around.

There are no emotions in their faces. "No," Emma replies coldly and they both turn away from them.

"Let's – " David starts, trying to take his wife away, but Snow interrupts him.

"Please, just hear me out."

Emma sighs. "Make it quick." She watches her, her hand held by Regina, who is still looking away, in a silent support.

"I wanted to let you know that I forgive you for your last outburst." Regina snorts, shaking her head. As if Emma seeks some forgiveness.

"I know what it's like to lose a baby. You were literally taken away from me the second you were born, and – "

"Excuse me?" Regina says, mayor-like stare and evil-queen-like voice, while Emma's face goes very dark. Ruby anxiously watches the scene in front of her.

"How do you fucking dare?"

"Emma!"

The blonde ignores her father's shocked cry and comes a bit closer to her mother, which seems to be rather affective as the pale brunette steps back. Emma points her finger at the woman. "How _dare you _to say you know _anything _about losing a child? I am here, aren't I?" She smiles mirthlessly. "While Henry's where? Gone, six feet under the ground." Emma hears Regina's sharp inhale and immediately makes one step backwards, taking her hand and squeezing it. "Not everything is about you, Snow. You should know that by now. So why don't you leave us alone and continue to live your perfect, flawless life? Maybe even get another baby – do what the fuck you want, but leave me out of it."

Everyone is left breathless after Emma's speech. Regina swallows; she's expected that Emma wouldn't speak to her family for a few weeks, trying to find a way to live without Henry, but this… Emma acts like she doesn't want to have _anything _to do with them. And Regina shouldn't be surprised because Snow has been acting selfishly, but it makes her even more worried about Emma.

Snow obviously doesn't know when to stop because instead of letting her daughter calm down, she only adds fuel to the fire. "Emma, I only want to help you." She raises her hands in a gesture of peace and carefully tries to get closer to her daughter. "Your loss was –"

"Shut up!" Emma screams, making everyone wince. Everyone but Regina, whose mind is focused on Emma's slightly shaking hands. She lifts her other hand to cover the one she's been holding. "Stop talking about him!"

David puts his palm on Snow's shoulder, but his wife doesn't even seem to notice. "Henry was my – "

And that's the top. Emma's patience has reached the top and she lashes out to once more grasp her mother's throat, but Regina is faster, catching her from behind, pinning Emma's hands to her body and pulling her away from Snow and Charming. Emma struggles to free herself, but Regina is stronger than her at the moment.

"Shh, let her be," the brunette whisper softly into the blonde's ear, making sure no one hears them with an easy spell of soundproofing the space they are in. Ruby leans in, letting her wolf hearing come to the surface, but is unsuccessful. "She's not worth it."

"I don't care!" Emma's yell is not heard by others, but is as loud and terrifying as before. Emma's whole body is now shaking with anger. Neither of them notices the five six people who came in and sat down, trying not to draw any attention.

"I know, I know," Regina says. She considers saying the painful words she knows Emma would never forgive her for. _Henry wouldn't want that. _But the price is too big, and she doesn't dare to try. "Let's go home. I'll take the food and we'll do nothing for the rest of this day."

Emma is quiet for a moment, but eventually nods, her shaking calming. As she steps out of Regina's arms, the spell wears off. They stare at each other quite a while, then Emma steps forward, catching Regina's lips in a passionate powerful kiss.

No one in the diner sees any good in Emma anymore, but Regina feels the silent, barely recognizable thank you in the kiss – thank you Emma wouldn't say out loud, thank you filled with gratitude Emma doesn't even recognize within herself.

Regina moves to entwine her hands in the blonde's hair, but Emma pulls away, cupping Regina's cheek. "I'll see you at home."

Home.

The word lingers in the quiet room as Emma disappears in a purple smoke. Home. Not with her parents, not with her friends. With Regina.

Snow feels hot tears threatening to spill out of her eyes at the thought. _Home with the Evil Queen, the person who caused it all. _

Regina turns around, ignoring the eyes that watch her every move. "Ruby, can I get our order?"

The wolf girl stares at her for a moment before rapidly nodding. "Sure!" She leaves for the kitchen.

"What did you do to her, Regina?" Snow whispers.

The former queen looks at her and snorts. "Don't blame me for your mistakes, Snow White."

"_My _mistakes? Are you saying it was my fault H –"

"Don't," Regina cuts her off. "I am not implying any of that. I am merely trying to make you see what you refuse to see. When Emma says she wants to be alone, then leave her alone. When she doesn't want to talk to you, then let her be. Stop pushing her. That's all. As she said, not everything is about you."

"You must have done something. She is not that evil. Now she's terrible and – "

"She's freaking _beautiful."_

"She killed innocent boys, Regina. How is that beautiful?" Snow asks, shocked written over her face.

Regina shakes her head. "You've never been there. You can't understand." She turns around just in time.

"Here's your order," Ruby says, giving her the bag.

Regina thanks and vanishes.

* * *

Emma wakes up in the middle of the night with Henry's name on her lips, all sweaty, with face immediately soaked with tears. Her quiet sob is enough for Regina to wake up as well. She catches Emma in her arms, but the savior pulls away, shaking her head.

"Emma, come back to bed, please," Regina says gently, taking Emma's hand and tugging her back.

"Don't touch me," the blonde hisses and before Regina can do anything, she runs. For the first time since their return from Neverland, she runs, she screams and _cries _for her dead son.

It doesn't take long and Regina bursts out in tears, curling up into the ball, holding herself in the empty bed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three**

It's been three days and Emma hasn't come back. She needs time, Regina thinks. Nothing has happened to her, she convinces herself. Because if something _has _happened to her…

Regina shakes her head, going back to drinking her coffee. She can't even bring herself to think what she would do if she lost Emma, too. Emma is the only one she has now.

Only it doesn't seem so when Emma isn't around. The former queen is as lonely as ever. She doesn't try to find the blonde because if Emma wanted to be found, she wouldn't be gone for so long in the first place.

Snow doesn't look for Regina to destroy her and Regina is convinced Snow doesn't look for Emma, either. Maybe that pathetic woman has finally realized that she can't just _fix _the situation, Regina assumes.

On the fourth day of Emma's absence, Regina decides to go between people even though her last experience is not worth of repeating. She sits in the corner of Granny's, quietly sipping of her black coffee. There isn't much she can't think about that doesn't bring her a pain. Her loss is too big, too unbearable – as if she hasn't suffered enough. Her suicidal thoughts have come back the minute Henry died. It has been always like that with her. When she lost Daniel, she couldn't think about anything else than death. But then revenge came and she knew she couldn't just give up. And Henry… her dear little prince was the light of her life that even when her mother died, there wasn't a single thought about dying. But now…

_Emma._

The blonde woman has become the light – the minute Henry died, the minute they looked at each other once they stopped crying. Neither of them can die because if one dies, the other will follow. It is simple as that. They need one another to survive. They are one another's saviors.

Still, thinking about everything makes her head ache and her heart break. She wants to remember Henry's smile, but is afraid of the emptiness in her chest. She wants to remember his laugh, but doesn't want to listen to the awful silence around her. She wants to remember her brave young son Henry, but every time she does, she feels like dying inside. She can't forget, though, that might be even more hard.

Painful to remember, terrified to forget.

"Regina."

The voice interrupts her thoughts and she lifts her gaze, her eyes cutting into the other woman's ones.

"What do you want?" Regina asks, sounding almost exhausted.

Ruby shrugs and sits across from her. Regina sees in the corner of her eye that the diner is more or less empty and snorts. The wolf girl has waited for everyone to leave to be able to talk to her? Her days of being an outlaw have come back apparently.

"You're right," the tall brunette states. "Everyone should leave Emma alone if that's what she wishes. Snow keeps acting… very exaggeratedly."

Regina gives her the tiniest small. "That she does."

Ruby nods. "You're probably the only thing standing between Snow and Emma, and – "

"How many times do I have to repeat myself? I am _not _trying to stand in the way of their mother-daughter bond!" Regina's nostrils flare up. She is about to throw some remark, get up and leave, but Ruby shakes her head and that stops her from her actions.

"If you let me finish the sentence, you would know that's not what I meant at all." Ruby sighs. "You're the only thing that stands between Emma and Snow. You are the one who kept Emma from killing hurting her own mother. You're good for her, Regina. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Before Regina can response, Ruby stands up and leaves for the kitchen. Regina stares after her, unable to move. And then the unbearable urge to see Emma comes. And it hits her completely exposed and unprepared and all she can do is gather her things and quickly walk out of the diner. Ruby will surely put her coffee on her tab.

Emma could have gone anywhere, she could have even left for Boston or some other place. But Regina thinks that maybe Emma left some note behind her.

Her former office is out of question because the last she had been was right before she was tortured by Owen. There has been no reason to return to her mayoral duties when there's been no one who would listen to her. And even though Emma hasn't returned to her job, either, a try wouldn't hurt.

* * *

The sheriff's office is empty when Regina steps in – as if there has been no one for weeks. The brunette looks around the room, trying to find some sign of Emma's presence – like blanket on the bed in the other room, an unfinished coffee on the table or a note saying where she is. There are some things, though, but nothing that would confirm Emma was there in the past few days.

Regina's gaze falls at the photo in a black frame. It's Emma and Henry, smiling with a whipped cream above their lips, drinking cocoa at Granny's. It must have been taken before the curse was broken.

She slowly walks to the table where it stands and picks it up, feeling tears prickle in her eyes. She traces her finger over Henry's features, staring at his face for a while before returning the photo on the table, ready to go back to the mansion as she hasn't found who she was looking for.

Suddenly she feels a hand on her bottom and she lets out a quick yelp, turning around to deal with whoever dared to touch her.

But she sees the blonde tresses and sighs in relief. Emma smiles almost shyly as she makes two steps that separate them and takes Regina into her arms. The brunette just melts into her, not saying a word.

It's weird because they don't do that just like that. They don't just hug, they don't show _the _affection for each other. But now it's not weird at all because it feels so right.

"You're back," Regina finally whispers, but it's so quiet that Emma would miss it if she wasn't so close to her.

The blonde hums into her neck, taking a deep inhale of her scent. Not saying a thing she simply grabs Regina's thighs and lifts her up on the desk, her lips immediately crashing into Regina's. The brunette sneaks her hands around Emma's waist, drawing her closer.

"I have a surprise for you," Emma whispers suddenly, pulling away and cleaning her table from everything that could bother them before slightly pushing onto Regina's shoulder until she lays on her back on the table, legs spread around Emma's hips.

Regina doesn't look up, but hears some unzipping. She has no idea what's going on through Emma's mind. But she isn't scared, not at all.

"I had to go for this to Boston because Storybrooke is obviously too goody-goody for a sex shop," the blonde says, chuckling.

And then Regina feels Emma unbuttoning her pants and pulling them off of her along with her panties. The brunette unconsciously bits her lip, impatient for Emma to touch her now that she's naked. Emma's finger traces through Regina's soaked folds and she softly moans.

"Emma," Regina sighs as the blonde keeps teasing her.

Something wet, but firm starts pushing against Regina's clit and then it slowly slides down to disappear within her.

Regina gasps while Emma starts undoing their shirts, her hips perfectly still and motionless. "Is that...?"

Emma smiles darkly, leaning down to lick the valley between Regina's breasts. "It's a strap-on, yeah."

The brunette lifts her hands up to put them around Emma's neck as the woman above her starts thrusting into her, but the Savior catches them and pins them on the able. She does that all the time – she dominates her and somehow, Regina doesn't care.

Emma's mouth wanders over Regina's skin, licking it and kissing. She sucks at the nipples in below her, her hips still moving so back that the fake cock almost slips out of Regina and so forth that she is deeply inside of her lover.

"Emma!" Regina screams the blonde's name as she comes undone. Emma comes right behind her, not even needing the brunette to touch her.

As Emma pulls the strap-on out of Regina and quickly cleans it, Regina starts dressing.

"Are you going away again or will you go home with me?" Regina asks while Emma helps her to button her shirt up. The blonde is already dressed and inhales to answer, but is interrupted by the sound of a pair of heavy boots walking in the station.

Both women turn to the door to see who's coming only to meet the man they have not seen since their return from Neverland. It's Neal Cassidy, standing in the doorway, eyes wide, staring at the brunette, who is sitting on the table, and the blonde, who is buttoning her blouse, standing between her spread covered legs.

"So it's true," Neal simply says. "I can't believe it. I thought it was all some stupid rumor, but when that man said that witch came here half an hour ago… Oh my _god! _Emma, how can you be sleeping with _her_?"

The blonde actually rolls her eyes, finishing Regina's shirt and helping her to jump down from the table. The former queen inconspicuously hides the strap-on inside her purse, taking Emma's hand so they can leave.

"Bye, Neal," Emma lets out as they try to walk around him, but he grabs her elbow to stop her.

"Emma, you're making a mistake."

"No, _you_'re making a mistake. If you don't remove your hand right now, I'll remove it myself."

The deadly serious look on Emma's face is obviously enough to make Neal step back, letting her arm go. "Emma, please, listen to me. You can't be with her. She'll destroy you! We belong together – that's what Henry would want!"

Before Emma can start massacring the man in front of her, Regina speaks, "Let us go before it's too late."

"Is this supposed to be a threat? To Henry's father? You don't care about his memory too much, do you?!"

"What the – " Emma doesn't manage to finish her sentence because Regina poofs them out of there.

At one moment they're at the sheriff's station, facing Neal, and at the next one they're in the bedroom at the mansion. Regina sighs and wants to go downstairs to take her coat off, but then she sees Emma's expression and it scares the hell out of her.

Because Emma has looked at her in every possible way since Henry's death, but never with such a rage. Regina takes a spontaneous step back, her eyes widening and her breath quickening in fear.

"Never _ever _do that again," Emma hisses.

"Emma, I –" But all Regina sees is black as a magic force crashes into her and she passes out.

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you for the comments and favorits. I am glad this story has got a possitive feedback.  
I do hope you don't mind that Neal is a bit douchebag in this chapter, but I don't think he'll come back for a while.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter four**

When Regina slowly comes to her senses, her mind starts processing what has happened. She remembers poofing Emma and herself out of the sheriff's station, and then Emma's rage. Her heart clenches a bit as she sees Emma's angry eyes in front of her again. And then she passed out. Emma used magic on her and made her pass out.

It doesn't make any sense the minute she thinks it. Because there is no chance Emma would know such a spell unless she has been practicing without Regina knowing. She must have done it accidentally…. But still, she could have been learning and could have done it on purpose.

Regina's mind is swirling. Where is she now? What's happening to her? She has seen Emma killing boys who were around Henry's age. She has seen her wanting to choke her own mother to death. She has seen her twisted smile when Peter Pan let his last breath out. She has seen the rage in her eyes when she poofed them out. Regina could be anywhere, but she knows Emma wouldn't just kill her. She would do something else. Regina could be tied up to bed right now. She doesn't know because she isn't able to feel her body, but she sees herself tied up, naked, exposed at Emma's mercy. Emma dominating her as always, now hurting her into obedience…

Before she can get too far with her imagination, she begins to move with her toes and her fingers. She tries to feel the rest of her body. And soon she feels the material of her satin sleeping gown on her skin. She feels the blanket covering her. And then she finally realizes the warm that surrounds her because there is an arm wrapped around her and a nose snuggled up to her neck.

Regina's eyes open slowly and she stares in shock at Emma Swan's blond head on her shoulder. Her arm is wrapped around Regina's waist and her face is hidden in Regina's neck. There is a visible wet stain on her sleeping gown and she sees Emma's damp cheeks. And Regina realizes Emma has been crying.

The fact catches her by surprise and she moves a bit. The movement, though, is enough to make Emma stir in her sleep. It doesn't take too long and the blonde starts opening her eyes. Regina doesn't dare to speak or move any more. Emma almost unconsciously tightens the hold on her and then looks up at her, probably expecting Regina to be sound asleep.

The emerald eyes widen when they see Regina completely awake, staring back with her brown confused and a little bit frightened eyes. And the room falls silent. They simply stare at one another, breathing deeply.

And then Emma abruptly leans forward and slams her lips against Regina's. The brunette doesn't respond, but neither does she fight the salty soft mouth. Emma tastes so good even with the flavor of her tears, and were the circumstances different, Regina would hungrily take what the blonde was giving…

But Regina doesn't do that. She lifts her hands to place them on Emma's shoulders, but instead of drawing her closer, she pushes her away. Normally, Emma wouldn't care and would continue kissing Regina until the brunette gives in. Now however, Emma immediately stops, pulls away a bit and stares at the woman beneath her.

"Why?" Regina whispers, her voice hoarse. She feels tears tingling in her eyes, but she makes no effort to chase them away. Regina _understands _Emma's need to be the one in charge, she truly does. And she knows Emma knows she understands, but some things cannot be just overlooked.

"I was so angry," Emma confesses, almost timidly.

Regina regains her posture for the first time in weeks and speaks out coldly. "Making someone pass out is not an easy spell. If it's not mastered enough, it can lead to coma."

"I know, I've read about it," Emma says, nodding like a little child that has done something wrong and now needs to hear some moral lecture.

The brunette finally wipes away the tears running down her cheeks. "Then why did you do this to me? I know you were angry, but – "

"What?" Emma lets out shakily. "You think… You think I did it _on purpose_?!" She watches Regina with a visible fascination.

Regina narrows her eyes. "Didn't you?"

"No!" Emma almost screams, making Regina wince. Then she sits up, helping Regina to sit up as well. "Gods, no, Regina!" Emma runs a hand over her face, lingering above her eyes. "I was… I was _terrified _when you… I thought you…" The blonde shakes her head, obviously trying to get rid of her memories. And Regina thinks she hasn't seen her like that in quite a while. "And then I noticed my hands were shaking and there was some color coming back to them, and I realized that it was me. That I hurt you – _unintentionally_."

"So you… you didn't want to hurt me?" Regina whispers, staring at the blonde with hopeful eyes.

"No," Emma says quickly, lifting her hands and taking Regina's face between them. "I swear to god I didn't. Please…"

Regina swallows. Emma acts so differently than she has for weeks and that scares Regina even more. "What is it?"

"Please, don't leave me," Emma begs, her eyes full of tears. And Regina's wide eyes stare back at her and she doesn't know what scares her more; if the fact that even if she _wanted _to leave, Emma wouldn't let her, or the strange tugging at her heart that ensures her that she wouldn't be able to leave no matter what.

And then Emma is falling into her arms, letting herself be vulnerable more than ever. She lays her head on Regina shoulder, and pleads for forgiveness and for Regina's presence.

The brunette is left with no other one choice than to raise her hands to interlock her fingers within the blonde's tresses and pull her closer whispering, "I won't. I won't," over and over again until Emma's sobs fade away.

* * *

It's been two weeks since then. They don't talk about it, ever. Emma acts like it hasn't even happened and Regina is still too shocked to bring it up. The only thing Regina learns is that she was out for almost two days. And when that comes, she understands Emma's despair. She still hears the heartbreaking pleading…

Regina closes the oven and sets the timer. She hasn't made lasagna since her last dinner with Henry. Who would think cooking a meal would be this painful? But it is not just any meal; it's her secret recipe, Henry's favorite food. She snorts quietly, almost laughing hysterically aloud, and blinks away the tears forming in her eyes.

"I see you're awake."

She flinches as the voice startles her. Before she turns around, she calmly says, "Rumplestiltskin, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

He smirks as she narrows her eyes at him. "I have decided to visit you. It's been two weeks since your lover used the sleeping spell on you, and I haven't even checked up on you."

Regina has so many questions, but his face is so challenging, she knows he waits for only one. Questions of revealing secret lovers or worrying about former nemesis must wait. "How do you know about that?"

"From your precious savior, of course," Rumplestiltskin replies casually.

"She asked _you _for help?" She wants to laugh in his face because that is such nonsense, but his next words stop her.

"She was quite desperate. She kept talking about 'uncontrollable power' and 'losing someone'. Then she started threatening me, but she wouldn't let me come to look at you." He shakes his head as if he is speaking about a disobedient child. "So I gave her one of your old books. I hope you do not mind."

Regina takes a deep breath. "You're here to see if I am fine? Well, I am, now you can go."

"The Savior and the Evil Queen switch their roles _and _become lovers… Who would have thought?" And then he limps out of the mansion.

The brunette stands there, staring at nothing particular. _The Savior and the Evil Queen switch their roles…_ No. Regina shakes her head. Emma isn't evil. She is not evil, she is only hurting, and she doesn't know how to deal with that.

A loud beep interrupts Regina's thoughts and she turns around to turn the oven off. She has no idea where Emma is or when she will come home. The blonde disappeared a few hours ago, saying she needed some time alone. There is a huge part of Regina that is convinces Emma has gone practicing magic somewhere.

This thought pleases her and scares her at the same time. If Emma is able to control her magic, she can control Regina however she likes because she is much stronger than Regina is. On the other hand, if she is in the charge of her magic, they could easily avoid another unexpected spell.

* * *

It's past eleven when Regina feels someone's hand caressing her back. She's lying on the sofa in the living room, sleeping with the television on. She turns her head around to see Emma leaning over the couch with a soft smile on her lips.

"Hi," Regina whispers, her voice hoarse from the sleeping.

"Hey," Emma says back. The blonde takes the remote to turn off the television and then picks up Regina from the couch, scooping her in her arms.

"Where've you been?" the brunette asks sleepily as Emma carries her upstairs.

"Nowhere important," Emma answers as she puts Regina on the bed under the covers.

The brunette immediately moves her arms to look for her. Emma quickly changes into her pajamas and lays behind Regina, spooning her and kissing her into the dark hair.

"Sleep, baby," Emma whispers and then they both drift off.

* * *

When Emma wakes up in the morning, she is alone. That is unexpected because usually she is the one to wake up first since Regina has nowhere else to go and spends most of the time at her mansion. It feels strange wondering around the empty house, but she quickly finds relief as she stumbles upon a note pinned to the fridge in the kitchen.

_I have gone shopping. I'll be home around 10AM. Love, Regina._

Emma's heart weirdly flutters at the words 'love' and 'Regina' so close together. She even smiles a bit. And for a moment, just a moment, she forgets Henry died. She forgets she lost her son for good. She forgets everything bad that happened in the past. Because there is 'love' and there is 'Regina', right next to one another. And nothing can go wrong in the moment.

As she turns around to take an apple from a bowl on the kitchen table, her eyes spontaneously glance at the clock above the door. 11:37, it says.

Emma feels dizzy suddenly. 11:37. The ever so hopeful part of her, that died the second her son breathed out for the last time, would say Regina has probably lost a track of the time. She has probably given into the shopping too much and hasn't realized that she is past the promised time.

But that part is gone. And Emma knows something has happened because Regina isn't one for being late somewhere. Not her Regina.


End file.
